In the work machine industry, it is often desirable to minimize the number of different machine parts to reduce the costs of inventory. It is also desirable to have a commonly-shaped ergonometric control handle for operator convenience and familiarity on different work machines. For example, on a particular work machine, a transmission gear selector may be required on a particular control lever, while on another work machine having an similarly-shaped control lever, a mechanical actuator control may be required. Yet another work machine may have an similarly-shaped control lever requiring a handle but not presently requiring a control module.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,277,077 issued to Osborn on Jan. 11, 1994, a modular vehicle transmission shifter mechanism is described. The shifter mechanism is so constructed that it is adapted to be used for the transmissions of different vehicles requiring different throws. The shifter provides a design in which essentially all of the components are utilized for different shifters of different vehicles and the only change is to provide a different pawl detent member and roller detent member for each vehicle. However, what is presently desired is a control handle which is adaptable to different work machine control requirements, not to different transmission shifter throws. What is desired, then, is a modular control handle having a commonly-shaped grip portion which is adaptable to different control mechanism requirements for similarly-shaped control levers on different work machines.
The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems set forth above.